Biometric data has recently been used as means to electronically authenticate individuals. For example, facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint/handprint, signature recognition techniques have been implemented to identify individuals. Such authentication/identification is required in order to confirm the identity of an individual, such as a computer network environment, in which the individual and the authorizing entity are not mutually present at the same physical location and/or the authorizing entity is computerized.
However, one problem with biometric data is that it tends to change over time. For example, an individual's appearance has a tendency to change over time resulting in changes in their facial features and the like. Similarly, an individual's voice may change over time due to various reasons. In this regard, a young adult maturing into an adult experiences changes in facial features, voice features and the like. An individual may gain or lose weight, a male may gain or lose facial hair and the like. Other biometric data, such as a signature tends to be stylistic and may change based on individual's desire or due to the input-mechanism requiring the signature. For example, an individual's “normal” signature may vary significantly from a signature made at a point-of-sale device; especially in those instances in which the electronic input mechanism has an abbreviated display. In those instances in which the biometric data changes, it may be difficult and, in some instances, impossible to authenticate the individual.
Moreover, authentication using biometric data has, heretofore, been conducted in a static, unitary form; meaning biometric credentials are received from a user (e.g., captured by a camera, microphone, touchpad or the like) and compared to a single sample (e.g. a photograph, a voice sample, a finger/handprint, a signature on file or the like). Such, authentication means not only does not account for changes over time in biometric data, but also does not account for patterns in biometric data that occur over time (for example, a pattern of an appearance change, a pattern of a change in a user's signature or the like).
Therefore, a need exists to develop a systems, apparatus and the like for authentication means that take into account the fact that biometric data may change over time or that patterns in biometric data may occur over time. In this regard, desired systems, apparatus and the like should be capable authenticating a user based on their current biometrics regardless of how long ago the original stored biometric data was recorded. Moreover, the desired systems, apparatus and the like should be capable of identifying patterns or trends in a user's biometric data that occur over time and use such patterns and trends as a means for authenticating the user.